Council is holding another Extraordinary Meeting at 6pm tonight to endorse a response to the Minister for Local Government’s Notice of Intent to Issue Performance Improvement Orders and appoint a Financial Adviser [Minister notifies Council of intention to intervene].

As proposed in the agenda, the letter from the CEO, which will accompany the detailed submission, argues for Performance Orders not to be imposed, citing the work done cooperatively with the Audit Office and the Office of Local Government thus far.

It also proposes to submit the second stage of its Strategic Improvement Plan, which will document the strategies required for the cash flow and organisational improvements requested by the Minister.

The draft objects to the appointment of a Financial Adviser, given most of the actions are already underway with the knowledge of the various government agencies.

Mention is made that the cost of the appointment would be prohibitive for Council in its current situation, and asks that if the appointment is made that the cost is borne by the State.

After outlining the issues that have brought Council to this point and the corrective measures that have been taken thus far, it concludes, “Our reply is offered not just as a response that seeks to avoid the decision to appoint a financial adviser, or the issuance of strategic improvement orders, but to genuinely document and evidence our ongoing and future commitments to the work required to improve the organisation. We trust that by giving the Office of Local Government deliberate oversight for the second stage of the Strategic Improvement Plan this may further provide accountability measures that satisfy the Minister.”

Given the tight timeframe for the response to be endorsed, the meeting is being asked to give delegated authority to the CEO to continue to work on and seek legal advice on the detailed responses required. Final approval for these will be given by the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and CEO.

The response is required by 25 October.